Automotive manufacturing is driven by a host of factors that pervade even the most basic elements of design. Two of these that deserve considerable attention are weight and cost. These two factors are often inexorably intertwined as they both affect the underlying profitability of an automotive design. Weight is translated into efficiency of performance, which directly influences fuel economy. Fuel economy, in turn, is known to directly influence the marketing and profitability of automotive manufacturers.
Improvements to cost and weight of automotive design need not be solely implemented on large-scale elements within the automobile. Small scale elements represent incremental savings that quickly escalate into large profits when multiplied by the vast number of vehicles manufactured. In this fashion, design attention needs to be devoted towards improvements in smaller automotive assemblies such as interior finishes and trim features.
One such arena ripe for improvements is the automotive door assembly. These assemblies commonly involve a plurality of individually designed elements ranging from appearance based trim assemblies to complex electromechanical window and control systems. One trim assembly practically universal in automotive door design is the door armrest assembly. These assemblies are utilized by passengers to facilitate opening and closing the vehicle door. Additionally, they provide a comfortable rest for a passenger or driver's arm during vehicle operation. As such, they must commonly support vertical load from a passenger's arm, horizontal load from door closing, and padding for comfort. This is normally accomplished by providing a vertical support platform within the armrest assembly that provides support for the padding as well as support for passenger arm loading.
The use of such integrated vertical support platforms requires costly manufacturing of the armrest assembly in addition to resulting in increased weight of the trim. Manufacturing requires proper alignment of the platform and padding sub-assemblies prior to cover and sealing of the armrest. Finally, the sealed assembly must still be securely mounted to the door panel. Proper structural attachment often requires numerous attachment locations which in turn increases cost and weight. A method and apparatus that reduced complexity of the armrest assembly such that both cost and weight savings could be realized without a reduction in mounting rigidity would be highly beneficial and highly profitable.
It would therefore be highly desirable to have an armrest assembly with reduced complexity in manufacturing and number of components. It would further be highly desirable to have a reduced component armrest assembly that retains mounting rigidity.